Personal profile
Biography
I am a Senior Lecturer in Sociology with research interests in intersectional social inequalities and social justice, particularly in post-compulsory education and work. This includes inclusive education, trans inclusion at work and higher education inequalities. I joined the University of Portsmouth in September 2021 following a postdoctoral research post within the Widening Participation Evaluation Team at Oxford Brookes University. Prior to this I was a Doctoral and Associate Tutor at the University of Sussex alongside my PhD. My own doctoral research, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, explored the ways in which first-generation students navigate their educational journey towards Master's degrees and how social class and its intersections shapes these pathways.
Prior to working within the higher education sector, I was a Research Fellow at the Institute for Employment Studies, working on a range of research projects and evaluations concerning post-compulsory education and employment for UK Government Departments and bodies, EU Directorates and third sector organisations.
Teaching Responsibilities
I am the course lead for the MSc Sociology at the University of Portsmouth, and happy to answer any questions about the course from prospective students.
My current undergraduate teaching predominantly focusses on social inequalities, social justice and research methods. I teach across all our Sociology programmes: BSc Sociology, BSc Sociology with Psychology, BSc Sociology with Media Studies and BSc Sociology with Criminology. My key responsibilities involve convening and delivering Social Inequalities at Level 4, and Equality or Liberation? Theorising Social Justice at Levels 5 and 6. I also co-teach Gender and Sexuality at Levels 5 and 6. Alongside this, I have taught research methods throughout Levels 4, 5 and 6.
At postgraduate level, I have primarily been involved in teaching specialist qualitative research methods, including sessions on narrative methods, creative methods, and participatory methods for Master's and Doctoral students.
I am happy to receive inquiries about postgraduate supervision (MRes, PhD and Ed) on topics related to inequalities in higher education or work which have a focus on social class, gender, and their intersections.
Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals
In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):
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SDG 1 No Poverty
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SDG 4 Quality Education
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SDG 5 Gender Equality
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SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth
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SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities
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Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years
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Problems with the panacea: First-generation students’ predicaments with the UK Master’s Loan
Marvell, R. A., 1 May 2025, In: Widening Participation & Lifelong Learning Journal. 27, 1, p. 127-152Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile22 Downloads (Pure) -
The ongoing pleasure paradox: How practitioners are compelled to silence, sanitise and securitise pleasure in English RSE
Vignali, A. & Marvell, R. A., 25 Mar 2025, (Early online) In: Sex Education: Sexuality, Society and Learning.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile58 Downloads (Pure) -
We’ve researched trans inclusion for nearly a decade – how we do our work has changed
Marvell, R. A. & Fletcher, L., 7 May 2024, The Conversation.Research output: Contribution to specialist publication › Article
Open Access -
Care-experienced students in higher education: A case for re-figuring higher education worlds to widen access and further social justice
Child, S. & Marvell, R. A., 31 Aug 2023, (Early online) In: British Educational Research Journal.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review
Open AccessFile102 Downloads (Pure) -
How can organisations navigate sensitive areas of equality, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) work?
Fletcher, L. & Marvell, R. A., 21 Sept 2023, University of Bath.Research output: Other contribution › Blog posts
Open Access
Thesis
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Social inequalities and the journey to postgraduate taught study: Narratives and navigations of first-generation students in England
Marvell, R. A. (Author), Hinton-Smith, T. (Supervisor) & Gazeley, L. (Supervisor), 2021Student thesis: Doctoral Thesis
Datasets
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Learning experiences: understanding the experiences of BAME students in a post-92 university
Marvell, R. (Creator), Dalrymple, R. (Creator) & Child, S. (Creator), Oxford Brookes University, 1 Sept 2022
DOI: 10.24384/8en7-ye76, https://radar.brookes.ac.uk/radar/items/880cb166-c194-4144-b71d-2fd996fdea75/1/
Dataset
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SSERG: Sex and Sexuality Education Research Group
Round, M. (PI), Oakley, L. (CoI), Tranchese, A. (Team Member), Marvell, R. (Team Member), Massonnie, J. (Team Member), Hughes, E. (Team Member), Barber, T. (Team Member), Glass, D. (Team Member) & Morris, C. (Team Member)
13/03/24 → …
Project: Research
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ESRC Impact Accelerator Account
Fletcher, L. (PI) & Marvell, R. (CoI)
5/01/24 → 31/07/24
Project: Innovation
Activities
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Gender and Education Annual Conference
Rowell, C. (Presented paper), Marvell, R. (Presented paper) & Walters, H. (Presented paper)
30 May 2025Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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LGBTQ+ in the Workplace Conference 2024
Marvell, R. (Chair)
28 Nov 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in conference
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Postgraduate wellbeing and inequalities
Morris, C. (Invited speaker), Marvell, R. (Invited speaker) & De Silva, T. (Invited speaker)
6 Jun 2024Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course
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Equality Research Conference Speaker
Marvell, R. (Speaker) & Fletcher, L. (Speaker)
17 May 2024Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
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Ethically important moments in transgender and non-binary inclusion research
Marvell, R. (Speaker)
29 Jul 2023Activity: Talk or presentation types › Oral presentation
Press/Media
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Access to and Success in Research-Intensive Postgraduate Courses
9/12/24
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Expert comment